THE NEWELL POST: Wall of frames

Monday

Feb 27, 2012 at 1:18 PM

Wall of frames

I finally started my wall of frames last weekend after a few months of planning and gathering the perfect items. Staring at blank walls since I repainted my bedroom in November has been a bit of a drag, but I’m glad I took the time to collect items I really like, as opposed to slapping any old thing up there just to get it over with. The best part: Each item was either free or extremely inexpensive. But, let’s start with the configuration, shall we?

Once I had my materials, I needed to decide how I wanted them arranged on the wall. I did this by first playing with the configuration on the floor. I found this especially helpful since I’ve never done a wall like this, though I’ve seen many photos of similar walls, particularly on YoungHouseLove.com.

Once I found a configuration I liked, I took a photo of it, which gave me something to reference when I went to hang everything. I centered the arrangement on the wall so I can add to it in the future. Each piece is spaced 3.5 inches from the item next to it. There is no real science behind that decision, it’s all in your preference. I hung the first photo (the peacock feathers), then held the second item (the pink elephant) next to it until I found a distance I liked, which happened to be 3.5 inches.

I wasn’t very strict about the spacing in the middle (as I’m sure you can see). But, I used my 3.5-inch rule when spacing the outside elements, which gave me a nice square configuration. Plus, I can always add in small items to fill gaps in the future.

I used a mix of framed art and other items to keep the arrangement interesting. I worked in the painted cheese graters I wrote about last week ($1 apiece from an estate sale), as well as a plastic flower I picked up at an antique mall. I sprayed it with the same metallic paint as the cheese graters, since I wasn’t fond of its original dirty-looking cream color. I also spiced up a papier mâché “M” from the craft store with some fabric flowers, scrapbook paper and metallic paint.

For the print art, the largest pieces — the nest and the peacock feathers — came from a 2011 calendar I bought at discount for $9 at the end of last year. The calendar is from Paper Source (www.paper-source.com) and was about $30 originally, so it was a pretty good buy. I still have 10 pages left for other projects, plus the pages come with templates on the back so, once the year is over, they can be made into file folders, gift boxes, note cards, etc.

The top right and bottom left pieces are from an Henri Matisse book I found at Chamblin Bookmine (4551 Roosevelt Blvd.) and got for “free” thanks to a store credit I had earned from turning in my own used books. The Matisse book is filled with paintings and sketches so I have the option to swap out the items at will, or use them elsewhere in the house. For the top right frame, I simply used a painting I liked and cut it out; but for the bottom left frame, I pasted a sketch onto a page I turned upside down. This filled out the rest of the frame, since the sketch wasn’t big enough on its own. It also added some overall interest (plus, it made me feel very crafty).

The elephant was downloaded from the internet and printed on photo paper I already had (so, free) and the “thank you” card actually is a card from my sister (who finds the best stationary). The card has a different design on the back so I can flip it when I need a change.

Finally, on to the frames. I already had the two large ones that used to be on my mantle. (P.S. Reusing items you already own is the best budget decorating tip — ever.) I bought them a while ago, so I’m a little fuzzy on the price, but I don’t think they cost more than $20 apiece at Michael’s (with a coupon). The smaller frames I picked up on my last trip to IKEA. For $4 apiece, I knew I’d use them somewhere.

Now for the breakdown: If, to be fair, I included the cost of all the materials, I spent roughly $88 for this project over a few months. Taking my time to decide on and gather items not only helped me create something I like, but it’s a lot easier on the wallet. And since the frames make up the majority of the final tally, I don’t feel bad about the expense. White frames are investment pieces you can use anywhere and match any decor.

Do you have a wall of frames in your home? What sort of items does it feature?